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Going through the backpages at MR.SUNSHINE soompi, came across this info about the casting of Lee Byung Hun in 2017. Re-posting it here at LBH thread, our thanks to mistymorning for the highlight & translation.

KES "For main lead role in next project, (I am) considering actors between in his 30s or 40s... Needs someone who's good at english"

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Moreover, writer Kim said "It is a story about a man who's a US officer came back later to his motherland who had abandoned him.".. "Because of this background, we need someone who's good at English"....

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From Writer Kim's agency, VP Baek said "Writer seems to considering either age of 30s or 40s for main lead."...

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Last 29th interview with daily sports, writer Kim revealed "I have someone I'm imagining in my mind"... "Main lead role has very strong narrative, he's a character with broad range of emotions, I want to cast someone who's really great in acting."

Then on Jun-24th, 2017, we got official news of casting LBH as main lead role.

On Saturday’s episode, viewers watched Eugene Choi and Go Ae-shin travel to Japan together after Choi proposed to Go with a ring.

(tvN)

Go also tells Choi she has held feelings for her for a while, but the two briefly part ways in Japan before assassinating Takashi Mori, a high-ranking Japanese military official, who posed a great threat to Joseon’s independent future.

While the two were successful in the mission to kill Mori, they were soon discovered and found themselves on the run.

The episode ends with the two arriving at the US legation in Japan and surrounded by armed US government officials, drumming up anticipation for the next episode.

The 22nd episode of the show will air Sunday at 9 p.m., with the last two episodes scheduled to air a week later.

1. [+6452, -97] The cinematography that makes it feel as if you're watching a movie, the actors' raging, enthusiastic performance, the script and plot development that's deeply resonating and even the OST (soundtrack). I swear, this is really one of the best dramas....
↪ [+131, -3] The end where there's a two-shot of Eugene and Ae Shin raising their hands up keu~~
↪ [+149, -8] To me, Lee Byung Hun was just an actor who's good at acting but now he's all cool, sexy, and cute ㅜㅜ
↪ [+158, -0] The thing that's really sad is, it's a drama but, I'm sad because Joseon is weak....

2. [+3913, -55] My patriotism, that I didn't even know was there, was boiling while watching the drama ㅡㅡ Once more, I would like to thank our ancestors that were independence activists. It's so deafening and heart-aching that even during the scene where Eugene Choi and Go Ae Shin were taking a picture and laughing, I was about to cry ㅡㅡㅜ
↪ [+102, -0] The scene where they were at the photo studio and laughing was the saddest scene today, my heart was aching ㅠㅠ

3. [+3014, -45] The actors' acting is good too but director Lee Eung Book who makes the directing in every episode look like it's a movie is really amazing.. The final scenes' impact are always awesome!!.

4. [+2369, -134] Lee Byung Hun is really good at acting~ He's cool ㅜㅜ

5. [+1544, -44] It's the best drama

6. [+942, -5] When 'LOVE' turned into 'LIVE'.. it really hurt my heart. Seeing the preview, it looks like he's returning to Joseon, not as an American soldier but as a member of the Righteous Army.. Knowing the historical outcome, my heart really hurts.

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Romance, action, drama and political intrigue: there is something for everybody here.

One of the gifts of the Netflix era is the wide access to global entertainment content. You can literally follow a show made in any country from anywhere. While there are some licensing restrictions, I am amazed how I can converse with my parents, who now reside in Brazil, about shows we can share even living in different countries.

Recently, I started watching some East Asian shows which prompted the algorithm to fill my Netflix list with similar recommendations. That is the gift of AI uncovering entertainment options you would have never discovered otherwise. That’s how I stumbled upon Mr. Sunshine. After reviewing the preview and accepting my reliance on subtitles (just like non-English speakers must do all over the world for Anglo content), I decided to watch it. I had watched historical Korean drama years ago and greatly enjoyed it. This one seemed to hold promise.

The drama centers around the unlikely romance between a noble woman and a slave in the beginning of the 20th century as Korea is courted by multiple colonizing foreign powers. The twist is that slave had fled Korea as a child and now return as a member of the US Marine corp. Within this plotline, the drama explores well the ambiguities of social class, nationality and race. The noble lady is no princess as she secretly trains as a sharp-shooter for the Korean resistance. The slave turned into foreign soldier becomes the Korean-American that no one knows what to do with. He is too Korean to be American but too American to be Korean.

Aside from a compelling plotline, the story is enhanced by breathtaking cinematography and captivating scores. The dialogues are short but charged with emotion. There is so much being expressed through the actors’ eyes and facial expressions that words are only an accessory to the meaning being conveyed. With that said, the drama contains a sizeable amount of action scenes that rivals if not outperforms most Hollywood blockbusters. Romance, action, drama and political intrigue: there is something for Western and Asian audiences here. For Americans, especially, it will be interesting to get a perspective from the outside – the good and the bad. While America enables a Korean slave to transcend its class, it is also one of the countries seeking to colonize Korea at that time.

That is why I believe this show will be the watershed that projects K-drama into the global stage. As Netflix and other platform showcases global entertainment options, the more they gain audiences beyond their country of production. Mr. Sunshine is an example of this trend, and possibly the first of many K-dramas to get international recognition.

in 2 weeks' time..

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SIGHTED: Found this just posted on IG, very likely a new photo. Most probably that BHMJ are now finally taking a break in LA (after Venice, Tokyo, Seoul early September) and visiting the Universal Studios in Hollywood with their friend Sunny and her son.

Can't help smiling seeing that Panda Express logo in the pic.. bringing back that Hunnie Panda feels, ages ago.

Q: Thoughts of filming with Park Jungmin after a long time?
LBH: Surely it's nice to meet him again after a while. Since he is one of actors who makes me tense up, so it's suddenly getting tense for today as well. Q: Thoughts of participating in Mr Sunshine
PJM: It's such an honor to be asked (to participate) in a great drama. I came to meet Byunghun sunbaenim, but I am worried that I might give bad impact since I feel very nervous today. I will do my best!

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We've known about this since May (Buddha's birthday) when Byunghun and his family went to the temple. At the time, JH's face was never shown, those sharing have been kind enough to not display his face. Today, Korean media had picked up the image from Korean blogs and published the face of little JoonHoo Lee. Had mixed feelings posting this news but hopefully BH & MJ themselves are fine with it particularly when Minjung have always been careful never to expose JH's face.

Song Kang Ho was named Best Leading Actor for his role in “A Taxi Driver” at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards. When asked what it meant to receive the award, Song Kang Ho explained, “The thing about an award is that you feel both thankful and sorry when you receive it. There are other people you were nominated with, and you also receive the honor alone in front of those who helped to make it with you, including the director, producer, and many actors. I think an award gives an actor courage instead of joy. It is very meaningful and says that even if you’re lacking, you can be encouraged if you try your best and work hard.”

When asked which actor he wants to hand the “baton” of Best Leading Actor to next, Song Kang Ho answered, “This year also has really great actors and the competition will be fierce. I don’t know who it will be, but I think there will be a thrill in waiting for it. Thankfully, I’ll only be attending as a presenter this year, so my mind is at ease. I’m looking forward to a moving moment.”

Na Moon Hee was given the Best Leading Actress award at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards last year for her role in the film “I Can Speak.”

On what the award means to her film career, she said, “In one word, it’s an honor. If I had received the award at a time when I thought, ‘Shouldn’t I be receiving an award now?’ then I may have not have thought that way. I’m so happy that I received this big award at an age where I should be happy if I receive a lifetime achievement award. I was happy beyond words and I really thanked the heavens.”

Lee Byung Hun won the Best Leading Actor award at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2016 for his performance in the film “Inside Men.”

“There were much better actors with good performances, so I actually haven’t had a good chance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards,” said the actor. “So I think I was happier than any other time when I received the award.”

Speaking about his hopes for the Korean film industry, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, he commented, “When I talk about Korean films with people in the industry who are from other countries, they give a thumbs-up to things like the various topics in Korean films, the original story structures, and the unexpected story development. I think that Korean films can grow and receive love from lots of people by continuing to try new things.”

D.O. was given the Best New Actor award for his acting in “My Annoying Brother” last year. He said, “I want to say thank you again for giving me the Best New Actor award, which you can receive only once in your lifetime. Every time I finish a project, I feel like I have grown. There are many things that I have felt after wrapping up filming for ‘Swing Kids.’ I feel fascination and joy over seeing things I didn’t know about myself while doing a project. I hope that I can find a new part of myself this time as well and grow once again. I’ll continue to work hard.”

Kim Tae Ri won Best New Actress at the 37th Blue Dragon Awards in 2016 for her performance in “The Handmaiden.” At the time, she had said, “I’ll show myself growing like Sook Hee in ‘The Handmaiden.'”

When asked how much she has grown now, Kim Tae Ri answered, “To be honest, I haven’t really thought, ‘I’ve grown this much.’ I think that sort of thing shows naturally even when you don’t measure it. I just try to do my best at what’s given to me.”

About Korean films, she said, “As an audience member, I think it’ll be good if people make diverse films. I hope that bolder projects are created. If I can take part in them, then that would be even better.”

This year’s 39th Blue Dragon Film Awards will be held at the end of November.

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Lee Byung Hun has started his official IG account (@byunghun0712). It hasn't been verified like Minjung's but BH Entertainment has highlighted this IG. It's about time, BH! First photo of Eugene studying his script.

Korean movie "Bungee Jumping of their Own" is available to preorder on Blu-ray (Full Slip Numbering Limited Edition) with English subtitles from YESASIA.

"Bungee Jumping of their Own"

Directed by Kim Dae-seung

With Lee Byung-hun, Lee Eun-joo, Yeo Hyun-soo, Hong Soo-hyun

Synopsis

In-woo and Tae-hee are two college freshmen who did not believe in love at first sight, but later find themselves wrapped in a deep relationship that seemed like it would last forever. One day they vow to make their love eternal by sealing it with a bungee jump. But their promise is left unfulfilled when Tae-hee suddenly disappears out of In-woo's life for what seems like eternity. Seventeen years later, In-woo is still unable to get Tae-hee out of his mind even though he is married and has a loving family. While teaching his students, In-woo is reminded of the time he spent with Tae-hee when one of the students asks about his first experience with love. In-woo thinks nothing of it until the student starts exhibiting habits and using phrases that were idiosyncratic of Tae-hee. Clinging onto his hope that he will meet her again, a strange mystery unfolds as In-woo tries to discover who this student really is.

The 2017 movie THE FORTRESS received 10 nominations for the upcoming 55th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Awards. Among the major categories that THE FORTRESS is nominated for -- Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor (Lee Byung Hun).

The 55th Daejong Awards will be held on October 22 at the Grand Theater of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.